


Genius

by OzQueen



Series: babysitters100 [57]
Category: Baby-Sitters Club - Ann M. Martin
Genre: Family, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Sisters
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-19
Updated: 2015-04-19
Packaged: 2018-03-24 17:33:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3777346
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OzQueen/pseuds/OzQueen
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Claudia and Janine get along more often than they'd think.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Genius

**Author's Note:**

> Another little hurt/comfort ficlet. Stands alone - unrelated to the previous one.

Janine stretched, stiff from sitting at her computer for too long. Time had gotten away; she needed to help Mimi with dinner.   
  
She stopped when she heard her grandmother’s voice drifting from Claudia’s bedroom. Curious, she stepped nearer to the open door. She could see Claudia’s dresser, the mirror framed with bright beads and feathers. The reflection caught Claudia sitting on the edge of her bed, her face in her hands, her shoulders shaking.  
  
“I tried really hard this time,” Janine heard her say, a sob catching in her throat. “I studied for hours, but I still failed.” She looked at Mimi helplessly. “This is the best I can do.”  
  
Mimi stroked her hand over Claudia’s hair. “It is only schoolwork, my Claudia,” she said gently. “You are so talented in many other ways.”  
  
“But those things don’t  _matter_ ,” Claudia said desperately. “Not to anyone else, anyway. Mom and Dad are going to kill me…”  
  
“Shh.” Mimi shook her head. “It is not worth so many tears. It is the trying that is important.”  
  
Claudia scratched at a hole in her tights. “Mom and Dad don’t see it that way,” she said. “Janine the genius never disappoints them.”  
  
Janine felt her heart lurch in her chest.  
  
“Janine is different,” Mimi said, and Janine knew she was trying to stick up for her without upsetting Claudia further. “You should not be angry with your sister because you are clever at different things.”   
  
“I’m not clever at anything,” Claudia said.  
  
Mimi shook her head and patted Claudia’s hand. “You are very clever, my Claudia. Very clever and very special.”  
  
Janine backed away slowly, not wanting Claudia to know she had overheard. She went downstairs to get dinner started, and her heart beat with adrenaline the whole time. She kept glancing to the window, wanting to know the moment either of her parents returned home.   
  
Her mother was first. Janine went to meet her at the door, anxiously glancing to the top of the stairs to make sure Claudia and Mimi both remained occupied.  
  
“Claudia failed her math test,” Janine blurted.  
  
Mom looked surprised for a moment, and then Janine’s words sank in. A frown marked her face.  
  
“Please don’t say anything to her,” Janine added hastily. “Mom, she studied hard. It’s merely the subject matter is presented in a way she is unable to comprehend.” She swallowed, worried she was overstepping a boundary. “Claudia can do things I can’t. It would be better to acknowledge those things tonight. Not the test.”  
  
Mom gazed at her for a long moment, and nodded. “I’ll talk with her when she feels up to it,” she said. “When she’s ready.”  
  
Her heart slowed a little.   
  
Mom gave her a small smile. “What’s for dinner?”  
  
Janine followed her into the kitchen, relieved at the thought a confrontation had been avoided. Claudia never needed to know.   
  
Janine could only hope she’d come downstairs with a smile on her face, and no one gave reason for it to fade.


End file.
